Anyone had their wisdom teeth out (especially at a *later* age?)

[Dee*Jay]

Today I went in for a crown lengenthing and ended up having one of my wisdom teeth out. I am 36 (as of Tuesday) and have never considered having it done becuase my wisdom teeth came in with plenty of room and have caused me no problem. But now I''m wondering if I''m going to have a problem with only 3 of them? I''ve read that if you have one out you have to have the opposite one out (does that mean on the other side or opposite as in top/bottom? can''t remember... ) But all the people I know who have done this were in their teens, and here I am an old lady. What do you think of all this?

BTW, I was DREADING the possiblity (I had known about it ahead of time, but it was presented to me as "a slight chance") but it was not bad AT ALL. I didn''t even realize what was going on until the periodontist told me; I thought it was just more of the same that I had endured to that point. Guess that''s a testiment to the skill of the doctor (or the level of novacaine numbness that I had achieved at that point, LOL).

(Had chocoloate pudding and and MUCH white wine for dinner

!)

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 9/7/2006 9:51:40 PM
Author:Dee*Jay
Today I went in for a crown lengenthing and ended up having one of my wisdom teeth out. I am 36 (as of Tuesday) and have never considered having it done becuase my wisdom teeth came in with plenty of room and have caused me no problem. But now I''m wondering if I''m going to have a problem with only 3 of them? I''ve read that if you have one out you have to have the opposite one out (does that mean on the other side or opposite as in top/bottom? can''t remember... ) But all the people I know who have done this were in their teens, and here I am an old lady. What do you think of all this?

BTW, I was DREADING the possiblity (I had known about it ahead of time, but it was presented to me as ''a slight chance'') but it was not bad AT ALL. I didn''t even realize what was going on until the periodontist told me; I thought it was just more of the same that I had endured to that point. Guess that''s a testiment to the skill of the doctor (or the level of novacaine numbness that I had achieved at that point, LOL).

(Had chocoloate pudding and and MUCH white wine for dinner

!)

Yowzers, sounds like you were a real trooper. I had mine out in my late teens and well it wasn''t pretty. Guess I am every dentists worst nightmare. Maybe you read my threads from my nightmares this summer. I give you biggest hugs, as I would have been like Storm and hid under the bed...

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My business partner is getting them out tomorrow (she is almost 30)! What a timely thread. I''ll let you know how she does. I had a very easy time. I had three impacted (never had a fourth) but I was also in college. I didn''t even use all my pain killers. My mom got her''s out when she was 50 and got dry rot (sp?) so she had a lot of pain. Honestly I would just get them out now so they don''t cause a problem later.

 

[koko]

Date: 9/7/2006 9:51:40 PM
Author:Dee*Jay
Today I went in for a crown lengenthing and ended up having one of my wisdom teeth out. I am 36 (as of Tuesday) and have never considered having it done becuase my wisdom teeth came in with plenty of room and have caused me no problem. But now I''m wondering if I''m going to have a problem with only 3 of them? I''ve read that if you have one out you have to have the opposite one out (does that mean on the other side or opposite as in top/bottom? can''t remember... ) But all the people I know who have done this were in their teens, and here I am an old lady. What do you think of all this?

BTW, I was DREADING the possiblity (I had known about it ahead of time, but it was presented to me as ''a slight chance'') but it was not bad AT ALL. I didn''t even realize what was going on until the periodontist told me; I thought it was just more of the same that I had endured to that point. Guess that''s a testiment to the skill of the doctor (or the level of novacaine numbness that I had achieved at that point, LOL).

(Had chocoloate pudding and and MUCH white wine for dinner

!)

Get well wishes to you....I had mine out while I was working for a dentist in Miami at the age of 21 (I''m 44 now), my son and dtr. both had their''s out in High School. Usually the dentist does want you to have an opposing tooth (the one that opposes it when you bite down). Periodontists are big on removing 3rd molars (wisdom teeth) because they''re so far back in your mouth that they are difficult to keep clean and can develop "pocketing." Enjoy your "days of wine and pudding....."

 

[Dee*Jay]

Lisa - I didn''t really think they would have to do it our I WOULD have hidden under the bed! The procedure itself wasn''t that bad but now (two sloppy joe sandwiches later--and an accidental pulling-off of some of the packing material -- Youch!!!) I''m not lovin'' it so much.

I have Darvacet (sp?) and I took one about 4 hours ago but I don''t want to go crazy with the pain pills, especially since I had two glasse of white wine with dinner. Plus, I was one my phone with one of my girlfriends and she said, "Oh, white wine and Darvacet--wasn''t that what killed Marilyn Monroe?"

I know she was only kidding, but still...

 

[Dee*Jay]

Tacori - I feel for your partner. Hopefully he/she will be fine. I almost wish they did all four at one time becuase then the periodontist that they would have knocked me out for the procedure. None of mine are impacted though, which the doctor said makes it a LOT easier (one him and on me I guess!).

Koko - The opposing tooth thing (couldn't remember what to call it in my original post, LOL) threw me for a loop. I did ask and he said that the way my crown will be positioned on top it will actually touch against the wisdom tooth on the bottom, so maybe that's enough? Guess I'll find out...

 

[koko]

Date: 9/7/2006 10:02:39 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
My business partner is getting them out tomorrow (she is almost 30)! What a timely thread. I''ll let you know how she does. I had a very easy time. I had three impacted (never had a fourth) but I was also in college. I didn''t even use all my pain killers. My mom got her''s out when she was 50 and got dry rot (sp?) so she had a lot of pain. Honestly I would just get them out now so they don''t cause a problem later.

Ha, I think you meant "dry socket".....

....that happened to my husband who got his removed in the Military. It''s when the blood clot comes out of the socket where the tooth was......(at least I think that''s what it is)....

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 9/7/2006 10:08:09 PM
Author: koko

Date: 9/7/2006 10:02:39 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

My business partner is getting them out tomorrow (she is almost 30)! What a timely thread. I''ll let you know how she does. I had a very easy time. I had three impacted (never had a fourth) but I was also in college. I didn''t even use all my pain killers. My mom got her''s out when she was 50 and got dry rot (sp?) so she had a lot of pain. Honestly I would just get them out now so they don''t cause a problem later.

Ha, I think you meant ''dry socket''.....

....that happened to my husband who got his removed in the Military. It''s when the blood clot comes out of the socket where the tooth was......(at least I think that''s what it is)....

Oh dear god... now you people are starting to scare me...

 

[bling*diva*]

~~I have to get mine out in November (a couple of days before Thanksgiving), and I''m not looking forward to it. Some of my friends have said that it doesn''t hurt, and others said that it was extremely painful!!! I''m sooo nervous about it!!!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 9/7/2006 10:08:09 PM
Author: koko

Date: 9/7/2006 10:02:39 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

My business partner is getting them out tomorrow (she is almost 30)! What a timely thread. I''ll let you know how she does. I had a very easy time. I had three impacted (never had a fourth) but I was also in college. I didn''t even use all my pain killers. My mom got her''s out when she was 50 and got dry rot (sp?) so she had a lot of pain. Honestly I would just get them out now so they don''t cause a problem later.

Ha, I think you meant ''dry socket''.....

....that happened to my husband who got his removed in the Military. It''s when the blood clot comes out of the socket where the tooth was......(at least I think that''s what it is)....

Duh! That''s right! Haha, it didn''t seem like much fun. I felt so bad for her.

 

[koko]

Dee, don''t be scared! Just don''t suck on that area, or rinse too aggresively....your body should heal up fine....do you take vitamins? Seems like our periodontist recommends a vitamin supplement after surgery to help healing, can''t remember for sure, but I think it''s Vitamin C.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Bling, don't worry. If you'r doctor is anything like mine it won't be bad at all. And if they're doing all four and they knock you out, well all the better.

Koko, how funny about the sucking thing. I was thinking that maybe a milkshake would be a good idea but I remember a horror story from someone that I used to work with about sucking through a straw right after he had his out and I decided to forgoe the shake. Not going into any details here, but it sounded--shall we say--less than pleasant. I do take a daily vitamin so I hope that does some sort of good!

 

[mrssalvo]

i had mine out when I was in college. all 4 were impacted. I took the pain meds for a couple of days and couldn't really eat any solid food, lots of UDF milkshakes (United Dairy Farmers is an icecream/convenient store in the cincinnati area). The chipmunk cheeks were the worst part..

ETA: i forgot about the sucking thing..I do remember using a spoon and no straw..

 

[bling*diva*]

~~They are doing all four at the same time...I want them to knock me out, but I''ve never had that happen before, so I guess that''s what I''m the most nervous about. How long did they say it would take for you to be completely healed (and when can you eat solid foods)??

 

[Dee*Jay]

Mrs. S. - If I don''t have chipmunk cheeks now (8 hours later) do you think I will tomorrow? I put some cold packs on when I got home but it was such a pain in the butt that I have it up...

Bling - My doctor said I could literally walk out that minute and eat anything I wanted--as long as I chewed it on the other side of my mouth. I have some sort of "packing" over the area where the stiches are, but he said that was really just for my convenience and was not necessary for healing; as a matter of fact it would probably fall off on its own in a few days. (I hope that''s true because I accidentally pulled a little bit of it off after dinner thinking it was a stray sesamee seed from the buns from the the sloppy joes... ) He did recommend that I not drink any super hot beverages tonight but that come tomorrow morning I can have coffee if I want it.

 

[lizz]

I was about 26 when all 4 of mine were removed at the same time. Two were impacted, two weren''t. I''m not going to lie . . . it hurt for quite awhile afterward (a few weeks). I even got an infection in one of the sockets. But I''m so glad I did it just because now I don''t have to worry about getting them out at a later age.

 

[swingirl]

I had one of my wisdon teeth removed and have the other 3 left. Leaving the others alone shouldn''t be a problem as long as they are healthy teeth. I am starting Invisalign (clear liners that work like braces but are removable) and no tooth removal has been suggested. I wouldn''t have any good teeth removed because you chew with all of them, even the wisdon teeth.

 

[jcrow]

i had only 3 wisdom teeth come in. there was no fourth one on the bottom left. so, they took out the top left one (its match) it had room and had come in fine, but since there was no bottom one they said it had to come out.

 

[Dee*Jay]

About the impacted thing; that's what where the doctor said the problems come in. But since mine are all out I'm ok. Seriously, they're just like all my other teeth, just farther back. I was kind of sad to see this one go today for some stupid reason. Hope my tonsils aren't next!!!

Bling - are yours impacted?

 

[mrssalvo]

Dee Jay, I think b/c your''s are not impacted you''ll be fine. it''s just like pulling any other tooth. it''s for those of us who had them impacted that caused extra swelling do to the cutting etc..

 

[robbie3982]

I had mine out when I was 16 or 17. All 4 were impacted and I am a horrible patient. They assured me that they would put me under, but then they came at me with a needle for the IV and I freaked out again (I''m terrified of needles) and made them gas me first. I know, I''m a baby. All I remember is waking up and my mom handing me my teeth...

Apparently they woke me up when they were done to move me to a recovery room and in my drugged up stupor I kept inquiring about my teeth and got really upset that my mom didn''t have them. I didn''t remember any of that when my mom was handing them to me. I was sooo confused. I still laugh when I think about it.

The pain wasn''t bad at all as long as I took the pain pills (I had vicodin) at the recommended intervals. I just remember feeling like I was floating on a cloud.

Last year (or was it this year?) both of my parents had to have theirs out! My mom thought she''d had hers out already, but apparently she''d only had 2 out and now one had an abcess. Both of my parents are in their late 50''s and even though neither of them had impacted ones like I did, they seemed to think it was much worse than I did. I''m not sure if it''s just because they''re much older than I was or if I just had better pain meds.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 9/7/2006 10:40:31 PM
Author: mrssalvo
Dee Jay, I think b/c your''s are not impacted you''ll be fine. it''s just like pulling any other tooth. it''s for those of us who had them impacted that caused extra swelling do to the cutting etc..

I agree. Also I think you only get the swelling with the bottom teeth. I actually turned black and blue a little. My business partners are not impacted (or maybe one is slightly) and they are putting her to sleep for the procedure.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Robbie - that''s funny about wanting to know where your teeth were! Today I ever-so-briefly glimpsed the tooth after he pulled it out and belive me when I tell you that I didn''t want it. Later he made a comment that it was a "big tooth" but I didn''t puruse it.

Tacori - I did worry about the bruising a bit because my best friend said she was black and blue for weeks after she had hers out, and I do bruise easily, but so far so good. I guess if I wake up tomorrow with a big purple mark on my jaw I''ll know I was wrong!

As I was leaving today the doctor said not to work out today or tomorrow. I said, "Honey, I haven''t exercised in 36 years and I''m sure the hell not starting tonight." He thought that was SO funny. But seriously, can you imagine, Oh, I just had a major tooth yanked out of my head and so now I think I''ll go ride the elliptical machine for an hour!?!?

 

[bling*diva*]

~~What does impacted mean?? I''m not sure if mine are or not, but I know that when I got my x-ray done, they were coming in sideways instead of up and down, so they reccommend that I have them taken out by the end of the year so that they don''t push my bottom teeth inward. Does that make sense?

 

[Dee*Jay]

Bling - I think impacted means that the teeth have not broken through the surface of the gums and that they essentially couldn't because of the angle at which they're coming in. (Maybe what you're describing?)

But please Bling DO NOT get freaked out by this thread (if so, I'm sorry that I started it). Everything will be fine. Here I was not even really expecting to have one out and 10 minutes later it was over.

 

[bling*diva*]

~~Yeah, that sounds right...I don''t think mine could even break the skin because of the way they are coming in. I''m not scared about the process, I''m just a little uncomfortable with them putting me to sleep. I''m also hoping that my gums don''t get infected or anything. Dee*Jay, I''m actually glad this thread was started because it makes me feel better hearing the experiences that other people have had!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

bling like I said above I had three impacted WT and it really was fine. Just make sure you don''t use a straw (like mentioned) or eat any rice (or anything that could get stuck in there because that will cause dry socket. I think it only hurt for a few days and then I was fine.

 

[bling*diva*]

~~Thanks Tacori!!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Tacori (or anyone) - Did you have any sort of packing over the area to keep things from getting in there? The doctor called what he put in my mouth "bubble gum packing" (maybe because it''s pink--I guarantee you it''s not from any good bubblegum taste, LOL!). If you did, did it come off on it''s own? And if you had stitches did they take them out or were they the dissovable kind?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I think I had dissolvable stitches but I got them out 7 years ago so I don''t really remember.